Fare pay

My Geneva room is conveniently located along the tram line that also stops in front of the office, about 15 minutes from when I get on. The fare is a bit pricy at 3 Swiss francs or 2 euros, but the ticket vending machines at the tram stops accept both currencies. Which I consider a great plus, being an international commuter myself.

But. The machines only say they accept cards; my entire deck of them has been refused repeatedly. So it's coins I need. Another but. The machines do not give change. If I insert a 5 francs coin, the ticket will say I have paid too much and mention the amount of overpay. Apparently, one can go to the office of the Tram Exploitation Company to get a refund of the excess payment. I imagine piling up little dockets until, one day, I find the courage to queue up in an office building and receive what they owe me.

Funny system.

In contrast, the Flemish bus services have introduced a facility for paying one's fare through a text message. Much simpler, and much cheaper too: for a trip from the airport to home I now pay 1.3 euros instead of 3.0.

Switzerland vs Belgium: 0-1.